Hello ladies
Can I interest any of you in a game to help us combat chemo brain??? It’s on this forum in the coffee lounge /chat and games section and is called word association again. It’s a little bit of light relief!
I think this link might take you to it
forum.breastcancercare.org.uk/t5/Chat-and-games/WORD-ASSOCIATION-AGAIN/td-p/159964
Hope to see you over there: Let’s get that gray matter pumping ???
Sue xx
Hi Everyone,
I have had 2 rounds of FEC and third due on 18th Oct.
First week after chemo is rough for me with nausea then I feel fine. Have some oral issues with a mouth ulcer at the moment but is manageable.
Hair loss is just such a bummer? even although you think you are prepared it just hits you mentally when you are staring at big clumps of your lovely hair??♀️
I did cold capping but sadly didn’t work for me have only about 5% left. However a friend is is going through the same treatment as me at the same time is doing really well with her hair. So cold capping definitely works for some??
I am quite confident now wearing my wig and feel when I have it on I feel like the ‘old me’ and my teenagers think it looks great ?People keep commenting how well I am looking and overall feel much better on chemo for the 2 weeks out of three in my cycle. Fingers crossed continues like this?
Best wishes to everyone ?
Well done MamaTony. Lots of positive vibes there!! The nice thing about FEC is that it follows a pattern so you can enjoy the second two weeks. Glad you are liking your wig. Lots of love. Kxxx
Hi Jacqs
Great to hear you’ve had compliments! My wig fitter and a lot of other people have said I look better in it than my own hair ?
Also my extreme short hair cut prior to my mass hair loss looks very cool! I think this is the way to go when it starts growing again!! Does hair start growing back when FEC bit is over does anyone know?
You start to get a light fuzz by the end of FEC. I have now finished chemo last week and I am more self conscious about the chemo fuzz than I was about my shaved head! Tend to wear a beanie or scarf out, but mainly because it is too cold to go bare!! A few hairs beginning to reappear on arms and legs too. Kx
It is amazing how one day can be so different to the next! Yesterday, Day 12 after 1st FEC, felt rubbish…a bingo card of SEs I was wiped out, felt crap, nauseous, dodgy tum, aching muscles…woke up this morning and feel like a different person ?. Thank goodness! Sending good wishes to all those suffering today…it will pass…just hang in there and be kind to yourself.
Morning everyone,
I’m waiting in the chemo unit for a re-run of my bloods. Low neutrophils, bother. I’m actually feeling better than I have done for days, so this is doubly annoying, but hopefully they will have stabilised so I can go ahead with today’s chemo.
Glad you’re feeling better too, Galligirl. It’s such a relief to get back to to something like normal and be able to do things. Have a lovely day!
Gx
Luckily my neutrophils edged up to 1 from 0.99 (whatever that means) and so I could go ahead with the chemo today, which was a huge relief. Apparently the Carboplatin, which I had last week, has this effect. I’m also low on Sodium, which seems odd, but apparently it’s nothing to worry about. I did ask whether I should be eating anything in particular to help bring that up again, but just got a funny look from the nurse. Oh, and here’s a tip, maybe: another lady was saying that she is going to try putting olive oil in her nose to combat dryness - the nurse responded by asking if she wanted balsamic vinegar as well. :smileytongue:Might be worth trying though (the olive oil, not the vinegar!).
Gx
Hi ladies,
Glad to see you are all getting along well, and finding those good days amongst the SEs. As for hair, mine started growing towards end of FEC, and now I’m finished chemo (almost 3 weeks ago) I have a full covering of white hair, its quite soft and downy like baby hair still but its hair at least. It started growing on the T part of chemo. Leg hair and elsewhere not doing much and the eyelashes and eyebrows not coming in yet, but they didn’t fall out until 2nd T so last to go.
Kip
xx
Hi Kip
Good to hear from you. Saw my gp yesterday who noticed I had oral thrush and wanted me to have a blood test immediately. The chemo unit called later on to say my immunity was very low…I’m due my second FEC next Friday, blood test again Tuesday, so I’m hoping I’m ok for it. Does anyone know how they decide whether you’re having 3 FEC or 4?
Hi Jacqs and Aley, regarding the mouth issues. I had a terrible bout of oral thrush, mouth ulcers and generally yuckiness when on my first T cycle. It also had a greenish tinge to it and was slimy and really sore and thickly coated. The inside of my cheeks had ulcers and I kept biting on them. I did end up in hospital that cycle as my neuts were very low 0.1 I think. I had a high temperature which was what prompted a call to the chemo hotline. I had some blood tests whilst in hospital and a chest xray to asses whether I had an infection but I didn’t just low neuts. I was kept in for 2 days and given IV antibiotics. I also then got the ilfrastrim injections after each chemo to help keep the neuts up. I was put on flucozonale for the mouth thrush, 1 a day, and also used Nystatin (which I got from GP) for my tongue. Every cycle after that I got the flucozonale to take home with my usual chemo drugs and started taking it at a soon as my mouth started to feel sore, about day 4 and took it for 10 days regardless aand although my mouth still lost taste etc it never got as bad again. I also mixed up a solution of cooled boiled water with salt in and gargled with it after every time I ate and also inbetween, I think it did help. I was also told to eat pineapple as this cuts through the nastiness, I never actually tried it and still have tins of pineapple in the cupboard. A lady at chemo told me to freeze chunks of fresh pineapple on cocktail sticks and suck on those to help with the mouth.
Hope something helps with the mouth… it really was horrible… but like everything else it does pass and now almost 3 weeks post chemo I have taste buds and a pink tongue!
Kip
Hi Kip
Thanks. Anyone manage the odd beer or glass of wine?
Hi Ladies
Sorry haven’t been on for a while.
Had my 2nd FEC 8 days ago and have been so wiped out by it. Thankfully no sickness as they gave me IV anti sickness this time because of how sick I was on 1st.
But fatigue is unbelievable, I never imagined it would be this bad.
Yesterday I was on day 7 and still feel so ill so phoned velindre hospital (which is my cancer hospital) and spoke to sister on treatment line and she got in touch with my GP and got me an appointment.
Turns out I’ve got a chest infection, so now on antibiotics and steroids.
Hope you are all well everyone.
Love to you all
Kath xxx
Aley, you bet???
Got a cold 
…Sending Hubble out to buy tissues, lemsip and pineapple chunks ?..
Kath1977, sorry to hear you’ve been feeling so fatigued and I’m relieved to hear you have got a reason for it and have some meds to help.
Sending positive vibes to others who have colds, mouth issues, and other SE too.
I had my second FEC on Thursday and have felt better than after the first which I think was because I had my PICC line put in then too so I had some SE from that.
I was however awake 230-630 in the night, tossing and turning and feeling sick, and I think I just needed a bit of food! Just caught up on my sleep now after some breakfast. Might need to keep a banana by my bed if it happens again.
My hair has nearly all fallen out. I have been encouraging it as I didn’t want it falling everywhere so have been bathing and showering twice a day and washing it through. It’s patchy though so do you think I need to do a final shave or do you think it will it all come out soon?
Anyone else finding it hard with their partner. I know mine is really busy at work (lots of stress) but he is really irritable and whilst he will fetch me things to save me getting up but it’s in a begrudging way. He has a real issue with loose hairs so he’s not been great when he finds some of mine!
Morning Ladies. Sorry to hear that some of you are having a rough time. Do look after yourselves. Hibernate in bed if you need to and do not hesitate to ring your helplines.
Pulapula, I shaved my head as soon as the big shred came. When I found what looked like a dead animal in the shower, off the rest came! You then eventually lose the stubble too, but it is not as noticeable as losing longer hair. I am sorry to hear that your OH is struggling to cope. Perhaps he needs someone in a similar situation to him to talk to. You could try talking to your BCN or your local charity who might be able to suggest some support for him. It is so hard for partners as not only do they see you suffering they have to consider losing you, which they will not have done before. Remember he loves you and is probably as scared or more so than you.
Much love to all. Keep warm and dry. Kxxx
Thanks ktk. I’ve already shaved to a #4 which is half an inch so just wondering whether to go lower or just wait.
I’m sure my hubby is scared, but he’s just so busy trying to do everything I’m sure chatting is the bottom of his list after work, kids, house (DIY), dog, etc. My mum is coming tomorrow until fri which should hopefully help me and him out (and I know he’s been invited out by friends on thurs night so hopefully he’ll go). Just hope my mum behaves. She nursed my dad though cancer (we lost him 6 years ago) but with the kids around I want her to be positive and not all emotional! She found my short haircut a shock and said people need to get used to it and I don’t want to shock people!!! That’s the least of my worries! I’d better warn her that I’m nearly bald!
Hi Pulapula,
I think my husband is really struggling too … he just seems to be keeping really busy with work and trying not to think about it. Won’t talk about what’s going on … if I say I’m worried he just says ‘you’ll be fine’ and when my hair was falling out and I was having a bit of a melt down ‘it’s just part of recovery’ … quite dismissive of everything. I think it’s his way of coping but doesn’t really help me at all.
I’m sure having your Mum there will help … it will take the pressure off hubby too.
I’ve got my 3rd FEC on Wednesday so starting to dread SE starting all over again ?? ?
Big hugs to all the ladies who are struggling with infections and SE ? hope you are feeling brighter today 
Lisa xx
Hi everyone,
I washed my hair this morning and lost two large fistfuls of hair - it was just awful :smileysad:. So, I phoned my lovely hairdresser and went to get a radical, very short pixie cut. And rather surpringly I actually quite like it. Now at least I don’t have tons of loose hair falling in my food, clinging to my clothes and falling on my pillow. Also, I’m hoping that the lack of weight might actually help my remaining hair a bit. I’m so relieved I’ve done this. I also went for a headscarf workshop on Friday at my local Macmillan Centre. A lovely lady showed me lots of different ways how to wraps scarves around my head. She also had a huge selection of lovely beanies etc that she makes herself. They weren’t cheap, but I treated myself to a couple. I’ll need to keep my head warm, even if I don’t loose all my hair.
I think I’m lucky with my husband. He’s very worried of course and I’ve had to stop him from giving me “concerned” looks all the time, checking up on how I am etc. It was getting a little too much. But he now seems to have found a better balance. He wanted to come to the hospital for my treatment every week, but I have instead persuaded him to take the occasional day off when I’m actually feeling well, so that we can spend some quality time together, e.g. go to the cinema or for a walk. That way we’re not just always talking about this wretched cancer and can enjoy eachother’s company (without the children!). It’s important not to forgot how to do that, I think. We’ve got our first “date” on Monday and are planning to go to an exhibition followed by a nice lunch - Mondays are my good days, so I’ll enjoy my food!
Have a lovely Sunday (despite the rain!).
Gx